Baby gate vs cat

[Ella0909]

I have an issue....I recently installed a baby gate at the top of my stairs. My DD's room is upstairs and literally right next to the top of the stairs. She can't walk yet but she's not far off and she sleeps on a double mattress on the floor as I sometimes go in to co-sleep.

I can't put a gate across her room as it's a weird double door and also at some point I'm hoping she'll come to me and hop in our bed so I don;'t have to get up in the night!

So I discovered at 2am that our cat can't fit through the bars and is a little too 'cuddly' to jump over..so she'll just meow until let down / up stairs.

I checked out other baby gates and you can get ones with cat flaps but they're pressure gates so not suitable for top of stairs.

Any one have any ideas? This must be a common problem!

We had the same problem. After a few nights the cats gave up moaning and now they happily sleep downstairs. I would give it a while longer and see if she stops fussing.

Can she really not fit through the bars? I mean if encouraged would she find out that she can squeeze through?

Wouldn't stop her insisting you open it for her though

Theproblem is the stairs are so close to the room so think cat would wake the baby....cat is persistent... when I've shut my door due to work video conferences she screams her head off and throws herself at the door The cat came with my husband when we started the relationship, I'm not a massive fan can you tell!

I may have to try this though...my preference would be for her to sleep downstairs anyway!

She probably can jump the gate if she really wanted to, but she has a willing cat slave who opens the gate for her so why would she bother exerting herself?

Can you not put it to the ground, so there is enough room To get under instead?

@Soubriquet I think this is probably spot on..she's totally in charge!

[quote Ella0909]@Soubriquet I think this is probably spot on..she's totally in charge![/quote]
I know the feeling

I have a cat boss too

Unless she's very infirm, she can jump it, she just chooses not to. I wouldn't pander in this instance.

@Bubbles1st I'm going to try adjusting it slightly but she's a chunky cat so too big and baby could fit through as well..maybe a diet would be better!

I thought baby gates at the top of the stairs was a big no? Because if they climb it it’s a really big fall down the stairs.

Plus shouldn’t her bedroom door be shut so the cat can’t get in at night? Or you’ll end up with the cat in the cot.

OP, I'm
Offended on your cats behalf for fat shaming her.

@bluebluezoo It's an extra tall baby gate and one that screws in rather than the pressure plate versions. Her bedroom door is shut but right outside of the stairway so cat wouldn't be able to get in but she'd definitely hear her meow / protesting!

If your cat is so fat she can't jump a baby gate then i think for her own health you need to seriously look at her diet.

@Ohalrightthen Although she is a bit stocky / short legs I think as others have suggested it's more a behavioural reluctance...she can jump our pretty high bed for a snooze and to malt everywhere for example

[quote Ella0909]@Ohalrightthen Although she is a bit stocky / short legs I think as others have suggested it's more a behavioural reluctance...she can jump our pretty high bed for a snooze and to malt everywhere for example [/quote]
Shes sounds exactly like my 2. The pure looks of disgust they give me at the expectation of being 'made' to overcome such a harrowing obstacle is hilarious but jumping onto the dining table, the very tall bed or on occasion even the fucking top of the wardrobe is no effort at all.

I have a large cat, who likes his food.
He is not young any more (10)

We have a garden wall which is at least 5 foot high all round. he can go groun to top of the wall in one jump if he wants.
Window sills are high, above waist height, he jumps up with no trouble.

My mum's cat was often found on top of the fridge freezer, or the welsh dresser, which was above my head.

Cats are excellent jumpers. She will get over if she wants to. The secret is to never ever respond to her crying about it, and make her work it out. That of course may mean you suffer from the baby waking up instead

She’d have to be a really unhealthy cat to not be able to jump over a baby gate (to the extent that it would desperately need to go on a diet for its own sake). So I think it is probably just a cat trying to get you to open the gate for them!

I'd raise the gate off the ground a little. Even a podgy cat can usually squeeze under an impressively small gap. (I've seen my one do it).

I’m sure the cat can get over the gate if it wants to. It took mine about 2 days to work it out. Maybe try tempting it with treats or something! Or let your toddler chase it, that’s when mine worked it out 😂

We had to hang our gate above the skirting board so there’s a few inch gap under it. Definitely not big enough for kids but our cat can squeeze under it. I’m certain she could jump it if she wanted to as she’s very active, but she prefers to go underneath. She is quite small though

My friend has one with a little hole cut out for her ancient cat to get through

I’d be surprised if the cat can’t jump over a baby gate. Mine can jump at eight foot fence!

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Our cat just learned to jump the gate if he wanted to get to us. But honestly, I wouldn't mind him being trapped downstairs lol

I have an elderly, arthritic cat and he can jump/scramble over when he wants to although he usually waits for me to open.

We use pressure gate with a cat flat at the top of the stairs but it’s round the corner from where the top stair is. Are you able to do something similar?

I’d be surprised if the cat can’t jump over a baby gate. Mine can jump at eight foot fence!

I can see her reluctance if the gate is right at the top of the stairs. Jumping up and over on to the landing no problem, but jumping over from the landing and potentially tumbling down the stairs may put her off.

I would push a couple of the bars apart to make the gap bigger.